how do you make a carved pumpkin last longer?

Answer 1

Invest in a pumpkin preservation kit. The Pumpkin Dunk'N kit is just one example of these, and variations are found at most grocery stores. This little packet is a pumpkin preserver, and mixes with fresh water where you soak your masterpiece for a straight 24 hours. The solution prevents the pumpkin from sagging, wrinkling, and wilting away; it also prevents mold and fungus buildup, and leaves your pumpkin looking like it's made of plastic or acrylic instead.

Use the magic of Vaseline. Petroleum jelly works its magic with a simple application inside of your pumpkin. Just apply a generous scoop of Vaseline to the inside of your pumpkin to keep it firm for weeks, and make sure all of the cut areas are completely covered.

Make a lemon juice spritzer. Mix together equal parts of lemon juice and water and spray away on both the inside and outside of your pumpkin. The acid mixture helps preserve your pumpkin and hardens the outside for increased protection against the elements.

Refrigerate it. A simple way to protect your artwork is simply to spray the entire pumpkin with water and leave it in the refrigerator overnight. You can do this with the smaller pumpkins so they're not trying to battle out the cold temperature each night.

Cover it with plastic. If you want to keep your pumpkin looking shiny and new on Halloween, you can still carve it and place it outside, only wrap it up tight in clear plastic. This will help keep the pumpkin crisp and fresh, and will also prevent any mold buildup as you countdown to the big night.

Answer 2

Preserve Carved Pumpkin

Answer 3

Pumpkin Masters says to coat the edges with petroleum jelly and keep it in the fridge when not on display. If it gets dried out fill the tub or large bucket with enough cold water to cover and let it soak.
The best way to make it last is not carving to early! I do mine, depending on what I'm going to carve, 2 days before Halloween max, and I don't use candles. I put one of those "tap lights" works better than a candle and won't dry the pumpkin or catch it on fire! lol

Answer 4

Back home (Texas) we never as far back as I can remember had a cold Halloween. However we'd carve early because the kids were always so excited to do it. Pumpkin Masters(TM)suggests that you rub all the flesh (inside and cap and any area carved) with petroleum jelly (Vaseline) put plastic wrap inside against the flesh and wrap it in plastic wrap and store in the freezer when its not being displayed.

Also if your pumpkin has already started to shrivel you can submerge it into a bathtub full of water. Cover it completely and let it soak a few hours. The flesh will absorb the water and supposedly it will rehydrate and look just as good. Though Ive personally never tried this

Answer 5

This is what I do every year and it seems to work rather well. When carving the pumpkin I don't cut the top off...I cut the bottom out. This way you just set your pumpkin over the candle! Works wonders! Plus I put vaseline on all of the cut pieces, this keeps them moist and they won't shrivel up from being dry. I always keep the candle in a jar or holder (wind won't be able to blow it out at easily)! Hope this works as good for you as it does for me! Good luck and have fun carving!

Answer 6

Once carved, a jack-o-lantern doesn't last more that a few days before starting to dry out and shrivel up. Coat the cut edges with generous layer of petroleum jelly (like Vaseline) or white glue. Use your finger on large openings, and a cotton swab to coat the tiny openings. This helps seal in the pumpkin's moisture, extending its life to a week or more. You can also store a jack-o-lantern in the fridge when not on display and soak a dried out pumpkin in water to bring it back to life. But you can spare yourself some of that trouble by carving as close to Halloween as possible.

Answer 7

Don't expect your carved masterpiece to last more than a few days. Pumpkins are 90 percent water, so once cut, they'll either dry out quickly, or if the weather is moist, they'll start to mold. Spraying the inside of the pumpkin with a mild bleach solution may slow the decay, and coating the cut edges with petroleum jelly may help them last longer. Remember too, that the longer the candle is left burning, the quicker the pumpkin will decompose.

Answer 8

according to www.extremepumpkins.com
this is how to preserve your pumpkin...


A few simple techniques will have your pumpkin lasting like Walt Disney. You already have many of the best preservation products lying around the house.

I read a few websites that said you should coat the cut surface with Vaseline or you can use something called "Pumpkin Preserver" that you buy at the halloween store.

I doubt it will surprise you if I told you I don't do either of those things.

For one thing, I hope to get through my entire life without covering anything with Vaseline. Second, I am not making a special trip to a store for something called Pumpkin Preserver. I don't have time for that crap.

I spray the crap out of the pumpkin with WD-40. It seems like it is similar to Vaseline. Petroleum right? It is clear and I already have a can of it. Usually that can is within 10 steps of where I am carving a pumpkin. Best of all, it works.

Actually, I don't even use name brand WD-40, I use the dollar store variety. I especially like the name "Spra Loos". That is a sweet name.

People keep writing me and asking if this really works and/or if it is dangerous. The answer is yes it does really work. You spray the entire pumpkin inside and out and it will prevent rotting for a while. Keep in mind that a pumpkin will usually start to rot in about 3 days of cool (70 degree) weather and less in hot weather so don't carve those pumpkins too early.

Also, some folks seem to think that WD40 will combust violently when they put a tealight candle in the pumpkin. To them I say nope! The oil in WD40 is flamable indeed but it really will only combust when it is vaporized. Once it is on the surface of the pumpkin it won't light. Trust me, I've tried to light a pumpkin on fire in a number of ways. Just don't spray the WD40 on the pumpkin while the candle is burning.

Answer 9

One technique is to coat all cut surfaces of the pumpkin with petroleum jelly immediately after they have been carved. This includes a light coating of the entire inside of the pumpkin. If you can't do the whole inside, at least try to coat the design that you've cut into the pumpkin.

The petroleum jelly acts as a barrier to seal in the pumpkins internal moisture to help slow down the dehydration process of the pumpkin. You can use a finger to coat the eyes, nose and mouth but you may want to use a paper towel with jelly on it to coat the inside. It's less messy that way.

Also if you want to restore your pumpkin you can submerge it in a tub of ice water overnight.

Answer 10

After carving the pumpkin, my friend's mom used to freeze the pumpkin so that the form could set and firm up. She would freeze it for a couple of days and then when it was done, she said it would last awhile. I personally have never tried it though.

Answer 11

I've heard that putting them in the bathtub when you aren't using them helps to keep them from shriveling up, but it only works a few times -- maybe 5 or 10. If they're still selling the weird spray that's supposed to preserve pumpkins, don't buy it: it just makes a mess. If you have a pumpkin you're really proud of, I'd say shell out the extra dough for a fake one; they really aren't that expensive, and last pretty much forever.